Sealing apparatus



7, 1956 s. c. TRENCHARD 2,733,849

SEALING APPARATUS Filed March 29, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 7, 1956 s. c. TRENCHARD 2,733,349

SEALING APPARATUS Filed March 29, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 7, 1956 Filed March 29, 1955 S. C. TRENCHARD SEALING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent Office 2,733,849 Fatented Feb. 7, 1956 SEALING APPARATUS Sidney C. Trenchard, Audubon, N. c

Application March 29, 1955, Serial No. 497,598

3 Claims. (Cl. 226-80) This invention relates to an automatic sealing device particularly adapted for the sealing of tubular stems of containers and, while not necessarily restricted thereto, the invention more specifically relates to a device of the character indicated suitable for use in heat sealing and marking the inlet stems of plastic containers for specimens or samples of various kinds, pharmaceuticals, and the like.

In various fields samples or specimens are collected for later testing or analysis. A considerable time may elapse between the collection of the specimen and the testing operation in the laboratory. During this period the sample must be safely stored and accurately identified so that there will be no chance of contamination or of admixture with other materials. This problem is a particularly serious one in the horse racing fieh. in compliance with State regulations, specimens of urine and saliva of certain horses in each race must be collected and analyzed. These speciments are, of course; collected at the track, but the subsequent analysis takes place at an approved laboratory which may be some distance from the track. It will be understood that each specimen container must be clearly and permanently identified with the particular horse and the container must be handled in a manner which insures against tampering before the analysis is made.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an appartus which seals and identifies the container and at the same time protects it in transit to the laboratory for analysis.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an a paratus of this character which is essentially automatic in its action and does not require handling of'the specimen container during the sealing and identifying operation.

It is another object of the invention to provide an automatic container sealing apparatus which also serves as a protective enclosure for the container from the time the speciment is poured into it to the time the specimen is removed for analysis.

' In accordance with the invention, my sealing apparatus comprises a casing formed with a chamber for reception of the container, an anvil plate adapted to be overlain by the container inlet stem, a movable member adapted to move toward the anvil plate to press the stem against the anvil plate, means for heating the anvil plate and the movable member, and means for releasing the movable memher so that it will move toward the anvil plate. In a preferred form of the invention, the movable member is held against movement while the anvil and the movable member are being heated and is automatically released when the desired heating has been attained. In the preferred form means are also provided for preventing the sealing operation until the container has been securely placed in the chamber adapted to receive it.

It is a feature of the invention that in my sealing apparatus no manipulation of the container is required during the sealing operation.

" It is another feature of the "invention that premature operation'of the apparatus is automatically prevented.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readi- 1y apparent from the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment and from the accompanying drawings wherein,

Fig. l is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying features of the present invention showing the exterior of the case and the entrance to the container-receiving chamber;

Pig. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 taken approximately along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2 showing details of the interior construction as seen when the right-hand end Wall of the case shown in l is removed;

Fig. 4 is a top view of the interior of the apparatus as seen when the top of the casing above the line 4-4 in Pig. 2 is removed;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the apparatus taken approximately along the line 55 of Fig. 2;

6 is a sectional view of a detail of structure taken approximately along the line 6-6 in the upper right-hand portion of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is the wiring diagram for the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 6.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 6, the reference numeral it) designates generally the case of the apparatus which is defined by a bottom 11, a top 12, a front wall 14-, a rear wall 15, and end walls 17. The bottom, top, front and back walls of case lib are suitably permanently interconnected, as by welding, whereas the end walls l7 are suitably formed by removable panels secured, as by screws 18 to flanges integral with the bottom, top, front and back. walls to facilitate access to the mechanism contained in case it), which will be described in detail below. Top 12 is formed with an opening 19 which is closed by a door 2 3 hin ed at 21 to top 12 and provided with a lock 22 of any conventional form having a locking tongue 24. A handle 25 facilitates the opening and closing of door 2-9. Similarly, front wall 14 has an opening 26 closed by a door 27 hinged at 28 and provided with a knob 29. Interiorly of case 10 and communicating with front opening 26 is a chamber 30 which is adapted to receive and hold the container, indicated at 35, to be sealed. Chamber St is suitably formed from a strip of sheet metal which is bent to define side walls 38, a bottom 39 and a top The strip is provided with front flanges by means of which it is secured in the case 10, as by screws and a rear flange to which is secrewed a sheet forming the rear wall of chamber 30. In order to position and center the container 35 in chamber 30 so that it may be properly sealed, rear wall 46 has secured to it upper and lower steps 50 formed with arcuate recesses to receive the cylindrical body of the container, and the door is provided w h a centering bar 52 which presses the i iner body ag nst steps 56 when the door 27 is closed.

.{L will be understood that the shape of the recesses in stops 5t? may be changed to accommodate containers of other than cylindrical form.

When the container 35 is in position in chamber 30 its neck 55 extends upwardly toward case top 12 through an opening 56 in chamber top 4%); It is this portion of the container that is sealed by the mechanism in-case 10. As seen clearly in Figs. 2 and 4, an anvil 60 is disposed on one side of opening 56 and a cooperating hammer member 62 is positioned to bear against anvil 61) to press neck 55 between them. Member 62 is slidably supported for movement toward and away from anvil 6%) on rods 65 which extend across case 19 and through end walls 17 and areheld in position by nuts 66 on their threaded ends. Anvil tlis formed from a faceplate 67 of brass or other heat-conducting material and a block 68 of a suitable ceramic material, e. g. micronite, in which is embedded a heating coil 79. Anvil 60 has a central aperture in which is received a die case 71 which is adapted to receive replaceable die. members. 7.2 carrying suitable. numbers or other indicia to be impressed in the neck of the container for identification purposes. The die members 72 are held in place by a set screw 73 engaging with case 71. Anvil 60 is supported on rods 65 and is held in position by any convenient means, as by nuts 74. Slidable hammer member 62 is similarly formed by a face plate 75 and a ceramic body 76 in which is embedded a heating coil 77. Hammer member 62 is normally urged toward anvil 60 by a spring 78 bearing against a plate 79 held between nuts 80 on rods 65 butit is releasably held in the retracted position shown in Fig. 4 by an arm 82 pivoted to plate 79 and engaging in a notch 83 in a rod 84 (Fig, 6) which extends through spring 78 and is secured to member 62, plate 79- also being provided with an aper-v ture for slidably receiving rod 84. A handic secured to hammer member 62 permits manual retraction of the hammer member to cock the device and to provide a space between anvil 60 and hammer member 62' to receive the neck of the container to be sealed.

When the container 35 is placed in the apparatus to be sealed, its neck is tubular in form as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Inthe course of the sealing operation, however, the walls of the tubular neck 55 are pressed together under the combined action of heat and pressure and are flattened against each other into the form shown in full lines in Fig. 2. The pressure is applied by spring 78 and heat is applied by the face plates 67 and 75 of anvil and hammer member 62, respectively, the face plates being heated upon energization of heating coils and 77, as will be described below. As seen in Fig. 2, face plate extends downwardly further than face plate 67 and has a sloping extension 88 in order that heat will be suitably applied at the base of neck 55 so that it will soften and bend freely as illustrated. Similarly, an auxiliary heater 90 comprising a support 91, a ceramic body 92 and a heating coil 93 is disposed in chamber 30 below hammer member 62 in its retracted position. Auxiliarly heater 90 serves to heat the container adjacent the base of the neck to augment the heating action of extension 88.

Referring now to the circuit diagram shownin Fig. 7, it will be seen that heating coils 70, 77 and 93 are arranged in series and are thus energized simultaneously when the circuit through them is made. In accordance with the invention, however, means are provided for making theoperation of, the apparatus automatic and to permit it to operate through its complete cycle without attention by the user of the apparatus. Thus it is a further feature of the invention that once the apparatus has. been set as will be described below, and the electrical circuit connected with a suitable source of alternating current, the heating coils will be energized, the hammer member will move toward the anvil at the proper time, the sealing step willbe carried out, andthecoils willbe tie-energized automatically.

Thus, as seenin Fig. 7.,v the line from plug 100. in cludes a fuse 101, a. first switch 103, a second switch 105, a third switch 107 and then heating coils 70, 77, 93. A branch circuit from switch. 103 includes a push-button switch 110, a fourth switch 112 and a motor 115, and a pilot lamp 116 connected in parallel with the motor. A further, branch circuit leads from switch 105 to switch 112 and then to motor 115 and pilot lamp 116.

The connection across switch 103 to'push-button is permanently closed. The connection across switch 1.03 to switch 105, however, is normally open. Switch 103 is actuated by a lever arm 112 (Figs. 2 and 5) which is pivoted at 113 and has an extension 114 which lies near the back of container-receiving chamber 30 and is adapted to be pressedby the container 35, ,-when it isinposition andthe door. 27 closed. Piyotingof: arm .112" qldckwise, when, extension 114 is presscmactuates switch103to close the circuit to switch, 105. Atthe same time, the. finger 115 at the end of arm 112' engages in an apertured catch 117 carried by door 27 to lock the door.

The connection across switch 105 to switch 107 and to switch 112 is also normally open. Switch 105 is positioned, however (Fig. 3) to be closed by spring pressed catch 120 carried by door 27 when the latter is closed. The connection across switch 107, on the other hand, is normally closed. When, therefore, container 35 is in position and door 27 is closed, the circuit through switches 103, 105 and 107 to heating coils 70, 77 and 93 is made and these coils are energized and face plates 67 and 75 of anvil 60 and member 62 are heated. If the container 35 is not in place or if the door 27 is open, switch 103 and/or switch 105 will be open and no heating will occur. When door 27 is closed with the containerin place, the door will be locked by engagement of finger 115 in catch 117. To make it impossible for unauthorized persons to open door 27 once it has been locked, release of catch 117 can be effected only by turning lock 120', which is ofconventional construction and has a rotatable lug 121 connected to arm 112 by a flexible connection, e. g. a chain 122. To prevent locking of the door when the container 35 is not in place, arm 112' is normally biased by a spring 125.

When, therefore, the plug 100 is connected to a source of current, with container 35 in place and door 27 closed, coils 70, 77 and 93 will be heated. Automatic de-energization of the coils after the desired heating period is efi'ected by a timing mechanism acting upon normally-closed switch 107. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, a timer is carried by side wall 38 of chamber 30. Timer 130 is of any convenient structure known in the art and includes a rotatable cam wheel 131 driven through suitable gears at a predetermined rate by motor 115, previously referred to in connection with the circuit diagram of Fig. 7. A timer such as shown in the drawings is manuiactured, for example, by the Industrial Timer Corporation of Newark, N. J. and is known as Type CMS. Cam wheel 131, which rotates clockwise, is provided with a pin 133 which lies in the path of the lower end of L- shaped arm 82 and pivots arm 82 out of engagement with notch 83 of rod 84 upon continued rotation of cam wheel 131. As seen in Fig. 3, switch 107 is positioned adjacent timer 130, being carried by plate 79, and has a switch arm 135 with a roller end 136 engageable by arm 82 after it has been engaged by pin 133 and pivoted in counterclockwise direction. Actuation of switch arm 135 by arm 82 upon rotation of timer cam wheel 131 opens switch 107 and breaks the circuit to heating coils 70, 77 and 93. Timer motor switch 112 is disposed below cam wheel 131 and has a switch arm 138 engaged by the periphery of cam wheel 131. When switch arm 138 engages the portion 139 of cam wheel 131 the switch is closed to make the circuit between switch 105 and motor 115. However, cam Wheel 1331 is provided with a cam surface 140 of reduced. diameter which is engagedby switch. arm 138 after switch 112 has been; opened. Engagement of switch arm 138 with cam surface 140 causes switch 112 to break the circuit from switch 105 and motor 115 and motor 115 stops. At this point, the heating coils are thus in a deencrgized state and the apparatus comes to a halt. After a suitable cooling period, the sealed container can be withdrawn through opening 26 after doors 20 and 27 have been openedand hammer member 62 retracted shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

To reset the timer for another cycle after the container 37 has been removed, it is merely necessary to close the push-button switch 110. Timer switch 112, when it opens the circuit between motor 115 and switch 105 by the action of the cam surface 140, as described above, closes the circuitbetween pushrbutton switch 110 and motor 115. Thusrmaking thislattercircuit with push-button switch 110 causes the motor to be energized again. and. the cam wheel 131 rotates until the endof the cam surface 140 is reached and the switch arm 138 rides up upon surface portion 139 which causes timer switch 112 to open the circuit between the motor and the push-button switch. The motor then stops. Push-button switch 110, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is suitably mounted on an arm 141 and in order to lock top door 20, lock 22 has its tongue 24 positioned to engage with the underside of arm 141.

Thus, to operate the above-described device, the mechanism is first set or cocked by pressing push-button 110 and continuing to press it until pilot light 116 goes out, the plug 100 being connected with the suitable source of current. The appropriate identification numerals, letters, or other indicia, are then placed in position by inserting die members 72 into die case 71 and securing the case in anvil 60. The resetting of the timer by pushbutton 110 moves pin 133 substantially to the position shown in Fig. 3. The container 35 is then inserted in chamber 30 with its neck extending between anvil 60 and hammer member 62 and door 27 is then closed. This will cause heating elements 70, 77 and 93 to be energized and at the same time timer motor 115 will again be energized. As the heating coils heat anvil 60, hammer member 62 and auxiliary heater 90, pin 133 moves toward arm 82 and after a suitable heating period, e. g. two minutes (for which the timer is suitably set), pin 133 will move arm 82 sufiiciently to disengage it from the notch in rod 84, thus releasing hammer member 62, which moves under the influence of spring 78 toward anvil 60, pressing neck 55 of container 35 between the two heated surfaces of the anvil and the movable member. The neck 55 will be flattened and assume the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 2 and at the same time the indicia carried by die members 72 are impressed into it. After a further period of time, c. g. one minute, arm 82, being moved by pin 133, opens switch 107 which breaks the circuit to heating coils 70, 77 and 93. At this time switch arm 138 leaves the end of surface portion 139 and moves on to cam surface 140, thereby de-energizing timer motor 115 and stopping the timer. The pilot light 116 is lighted throughout this period but it goes out upon de-energization of motor 115 and tells the operator that the sealing operation is over. The heaters are then allowed to cool, e. g. for fifteen or twenty minutes, and the sealed c011- tainer removed.

In the horse racing industry, for example, where strict control of the specimen containers must be observed, the apparatus is suitably used in the following manner:

A racing official sets or cocks the apparatus by means of push-button switch 110 and then locks door 20 by means of lock 22. He then disconnects plug 110 and gives the apparatus to the person who collects the specimens. The specimen is collected by authorized personnel and the specimen container is inserted in chamber 39 and door 27 is closed, and automatically locks. The plug is then connected with the source of current and the sealing operation is carried out. When the pilot light 116 goes out, the apparatus is disconnected from the current source and transported to the laboratory and opened only by authorized personnel. The specimen container is thus protected at all times and the chance of secret tampering or of confusion among containers is eliminated. The case could, of course, be forced open but such tampering would be obvious. In order to permit further control of the use of the apparatus, a counter (Fig. 2), indicated at 142, is suitably provided. This counter, in the position shown, can be actuated by the oflicial who sets the apparatus each time this step is carried out. Alternatively, the counter could be positioned to be actuated by the person inserting the container into chamber 30.

It will be understood, of course, that the apparatus is not limited to use in connection with horse racing but may be used for sealing any containers formed from a thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene or the like, which can be deformed when heated and will then solidify to its deformed position upon cooling. It will also be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the embodiment described above and shown in the drawings without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims, and it is intended, therefore, that all matter contained in the foregoing description and in the drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A sealing apparatus for sealingly closing the elongated necks of containers formed from a thermoplastic material comprising, in combination, a casing formed with a chamber for reception of the container, an anvil plate positioned to be overlain by the container neck, a member movable toward the anvil plate to press the container neck thereagainst, means for heating the anvil plate and means for heating the movable member, means for holding the movable member away from said anvil plate and automatic means for releasing said movable member for movement toward said anvil plate, said last-named means comprising a timer mechanism for releasing said movable member a predetermined time after energization of said heating means, said timer mechanism also serving to deenergize said heating means following release of said movable member.

2. A sealing apparatus for sealingly closing the elongated necks of containers formed from a thermoplastic material comprising, in combination, a casing formed with a chamber for reception of the container, an anvil plate positioned to be overlain by the container neck, a member movable toward the anvil plate to press the container neck thereagainst, means for heating the anvil plate and means for heating the movable member, means for holding the movable member away from said anvil plate, and means for releasing said movable member for movement toward said anvil plate, said case having a door to close said chamber and said heating means being electrical heating means and including in their circuit a switch operable upon closing of said door and a switch operable by said container when said door is closed, said switches opening said circuit when said door is open and when said chamber is free from said container.

3. A sealing apparatus for sealingly closing the elongated necks of containers formed from a thermoplastic material comprising, in combination, a casing formed with a chamber for reception of the container, an anvil plate positioned to be overlain by the container neck, a member movable toward the anvil plate to press the container neck thereagainst, means for heating the anvil plate and means for heating the movable member, means. for holding the movable member away from said anvil plate and automatic means for releasing said movable member for movement toward said anvil plate, said last-named means comprising a timer mechanism for releasing said movable member a predetermined time after energization of said heating means, said timer mechanism also serving to deenergize said heating means following release of said movable member, said case having a door to close said chamber and said heating means being electrical heating means and including in their circuit a switch operable upon closing of said door and a switch operable by said container when said door is closed, said switches opening said circuit when said door is open and when said chamber is free from said container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,381,764 McFarland, Jr. Aug. 7, 1945 

1. A SEALING APPARATUS FOR SEALINGLY CLOSING THE ELONGATED NECKS OF CONTAINERS FORMED FROM A TEHERMOPLASITC MATERIAL COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CASING FORMED WITH A CHAMBER FOR RECEPTION OF THE CONTAINER, AN ANVIL PLATE POSITIONED TO BE OVERLAIN BY THE CONTAINER NECK, A MEMBER MOVABLE TOWARD THE ANVIL PLATE TO PRESS THE CONTAINER NECK THEREAGAINST, MEANS FOR HEATING THE ANVIL PLATE AND MEANS FOR HEATING THE MOVABLE MEMBER, MEANS FOR HOLDING THE MOVABLE MEMBER AWAY FROM SAID ANVIL PLATE AND AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR RELEASING SAID MOVABLE MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD SAID ANVIL PLATE,SAID LAST-NAMED MEANS COMPRISING A TIMER MECHANISM FOR RELEASING SAID MOVABLE MEMBER A PREDETERMINED TIME AFTER ENERGIZATION OF SAID HEATING MEANS, SAID TIMER MECHANISM ALSO SERVING TO DEENERGIZE SAID HEATING MEANS FOLLOWING RELEASE OF SAID MOVABLE MEMBER. 